1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, and Jude: encouragements and warnings

Today’s study is on 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John and Jude. These short books have a common theme of recognition of false teachers and true believers as well as the need for constant vigilance and perseverance. Peter wrote 1 Peter in order offer encouragement to suffering Christians. 2 Peter was written as a warning against false teachers. The books of 1, 2, and 3 John were written to give warnings against and counter false teachings, and to recognize true believers. Jude, brother of Jesus and James, set to remind believers of the need for constant vigilance, to keep strong in the faith and oppose heresy.

Sometimes doing the right thing isn’t a reward. Sometimes it brings suffering and sadness. Peter wrote to encouragement believers who were suffering for doing good. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, we are reminded that we have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus, an inheritance which cannot be taken from us. It can never perish, spoil or fade. No matter what happens in life, our hope in God’s promise cannot be taken away from us. We have been rejected by men but chosen by God. We are precious to him (1 Peter 2:4). Peter tells us that even if we are to suffer for what is right, we are blessed (1 Peter 3:14) It is better to suffer for doing God’s will, for doing good than for doing evil (1 Peter 3:17). Therefore, we can’t be surprised when we suffer for doing what is right. 1 Peter 4:12 says “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” As Christians, we need to remember that we may suffer for doing what is right. We may be insulted, ridiculed or demeaned. We may lose friends, family, jobs or even our lives for standing firm on God’s words and doing his will in our lives.

False teachers have been discussed many times in the New Testament. Peter also warns against false teachers. In 2 Peter 2:10-22, Peter describes false teachers as bold, arrogant and not afraid to insult celestial beings. Celestial beings include angels and demons. False teachers will usually mock the supernatural and especially take Satan’s power lightly. False teachers will blaspheme in matters they do not understand (verse 12). They will often pay back harm with harm (verse 13). They will seduce the unstable and they are experts in greed (verse 14). They will speak empty and boastful words which appeal to our sinful natures (verse 18). Unfortunately, I think we can think of many church leaders who may be described by these verses. Often, men and women in positions of power will be intoxicated by that power and greatly influence those below them. How do we defend ourselves against false teachers? First, allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us. Some may call it a “gut feeling.” If a statement doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Second, do not take their statements are truth. We need to test their statements against God’s Word. If the statements contradict scripture, then they are false.

John’s letters also focus on false teachers and false believers which John refers to as “antichrists.” John warns if someone says “I know him [Jesus]” yet doesn’t live by his commands, then he is a liar (1 John 2:4). While there is the Antichrist who will come in the end times, but an antichrist is anyone who contradicts Jesus’ message either by their words or their lifestyles. To John, antichrists are those who call themselves Christians but do not truly belong (1 John 2:19). These are people who may call themselves Christians as a matter of family tradition or it serves their purpose in some form, but they do not truly live a godly lifestyle. Even though as Christians, we may fail to always be Christ-like, John is warning us against those who’s behavior is a consist pattern of ungodly behavior. In 2 John 7 states that antichrists are those who deny the foundations of Christian faith. There are churches which claim to be Christian and yet deny the deity of Jesus. 3 John states that true believers are generous with their resources whether its time, money or other forms of hospitality for the good of those who help spread the Gospel.

The book of Jude reads like a sermon. While he begins his sermon with the sin and doom of godliness, his call for perseverance is what stood out to me. He reminds us that we are told that people will scoff (verse 18) and people who intend to divide believers (verse 19). I see division in today’s society. Believers see themselves divided by denominations, by race, and by political belief. Believers will often attack other believers because they differ in opinion on various topics despite our common belief in Jesus Christ. However, we are to build ourselves up with faith and prayer (verse 20) and to keep ourselves in God’s love (verse 21). Most importantly, we are to show mercy to those who doubt (verse 22). We are to witness to believers and non-believers with compassion and kindness. The adage of “You catch more flies with honey then with vinegar” is very true. If we want people to listen and pay attention, we cannot be cruel, demeaning or speak with condemnation. We must find common ground when witnessing to others. We must remember that we were once lost, and God opened our eyes to his love. We must also have patience as we witness and remember that we do not open their eyes to God, God does. We are merely the tools in which God reveals himself.

In conclusion, false teachers were as much of a problem today as it was in the early church. We must be diligent to recognize false teachers and true believers. Looking to God’s word and prayer as we seek guidance to recognize both. 1 Peter reminds us that it is better to suffer for doing what is right than to aid in evil. False teachers are the topics of 2 Peter and the letters of John. We must be careful to examine all statements given to us by those in leadership. Lastly, Jude calls believers to persevere, to witness to others with compassion and allow God to do his work in his time.

1 & 2 Thessalonians and 1 & 2 Timothy: instructions for daily life

Today’s study will be on the letters of 1 & 2 Thessalonians and 1 & 2 Timothy. As with all his letters, Paul had a purpose, a lesson, to instruct churches and his companions. In 1 Thessalonians, his purpose was to strength the Thessalonian Christians in their faith and give instructions for their daily lives as many weren’t working for their necessities and relying on holdouts. In 2 Thessalonians, he warns the church again about idleness and urges others to practice tough love to those who are idle. In 1 Timothy, he wanted to give encouragement and instruction to Timothy, a young leader. Instructions which he would need as a leader in the church, particularly with false teachings. In 2 Timothy, he wanted to give final instructions and encouragement to Timothy, now a pastor at the Ephesian church. Encouragements to be bold and remain firm in the message of Jesus.

Paul instructs the Thessalonian Christian on how to live a life which was pleasing to God. In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, he writes, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” Some of the Thessalonians had begin to lead a life of idleness which led to depending on others for handouts. Paul knew that to be effective in sharing the Gospel, one must be respected but how can someone be respected when you lead a life dependent on others. Paul urges believers that whatever you do in life, do it faithfully and as a positive force in society. I think society today needs to hear this as many high school graduates are urged to pursue degrees which could make them money and ignore the part in which they would enjoy doing the job. Whatever your job may be, whether it is as a janitor or a car mechanic or as a CEO or doctor, do your job faithfully and contribute to society. When you are contributing to society, working faithfully at a job and living a life which gives the example of Christ, people will be more willing to listen to your story, to the Gospel and to the message of Jesus.

In 2 Thessalonians, Paul confronts, once again, idleness. Apparently, they did not listen as Paul reminded them, and us, that while Christ can come at any moment, we must still work for our food, our homes and other necessities of life. In Chapter 3, verse 6-13, he warns to stay away from everyone who is “idle and does not live according to the teaching you received” (verse 6). Paul reminds them of his examples as well of the examples of those who traveled with him. They were not idle, they did not eat without paying for the food (verses 7-8). Paul even gave them a rule “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” (verse 10). There had become the attitude on the church that since Christ was returning, Christians did not need to work because why bother? Why would I need a home when Christ was coming? While early Christians believed that when Christ said he would be returning he meant within their lifetimes. Despite Christ’s warning that we are not to know the time or date of his return, only the Father knew that (Acts 1:7), some Christians lived as if today would be the day and they did not work to provide for their well-being and relied on the handouts from others. Paul wanted the church to practice tough love when it came to its members who were idle. In verse 15, he says “Yet do not regard him as an enemy but warn him as a brother.” In many ways, Paul was telling the church to have boundaries. To say “no more” to the person who will not help themselves.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul warns against false teachers. First Timothy 1:3-4, Paul urges Timothy to “command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies” which “promotes controversies rather than God’s work which is by faith.” The church at Ephesus was plagued with teachers who promoted ideas that believers need to discover hidden knowledge and worship beings other than God in order to be acceptable to God. These false teachers would often confuse believers with endless and irrelevant questions. False teachers are still active today. Unfortunately, there are many examples of individuals who like to think they have special knowledge beyond others. These individuals will often use language and facts to engage in religious speculation and pointless theological arguments. I remember when I was a young Christian, still very new to my faith, was on my way to a weekend retreat. On the way up there, one young man was having a one-sided discussion about Calvinism. I was unfamiliar with Calvinism, so I asked him to explain it. After a brief pause, he told me I wouldn’t understand. It wasn’t until years later after being a bit more mature in my faith and studying further I realized that that young man didn’t truly understand it and therefore couldn’t explain it. Was he a false teacher? No; however, he acted as if he was an expert and used what he did know to portray himself as an expert. I learned my lesson. Do not take anyone’s word about the Bible (or about anything) without researching it for yourself. When in doubt, go to the source and find out. Turn to God and the Bible. If the statement contradicts Jesus’ message in the Gospel, it is a false teaching and should be ignored.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul wanted to give Timothy encouragement to be faithful in all times especially in difficult and trying times. 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul writes “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” Timothy was a young pastor in a church which gave him opposition to his leadership. Paul encouraged him to be bold and remember from whom we get our power. When people intimidate us, we lose our effectiveness for God’s work. The power of his Holy Spirit can help overcome the fear we experience when we think of what others might say or do to us. Paul urges Timothy to keep to “sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13) and to pursue “righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). There are times when people will turn to those who tell them what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). They will turn away from the truth they know to indulge their own selfish wants and desires and we are to remain in the truth, to boldly and lovingly spread the Word of God. However, being bold isn’t being in someone’s face which is annoying and obnoxious and will most likely turn that person away from the message you are trying to reveal. Being bold is to stand firm in the message, despite the opposition, and do so with love. Always with love.

In conclusion, Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians are examples to us about how to live a life pleasing to God. We are work for what we need and only give to those who truly need help. Do not give to individuals who refuse to work for what they need. There are people who work very hard and still need assistance now and then. There will be times in our lives when we are a day late and a dollar short. It is laziness we need to avoid in ourselves and from encouraging in others. The letters to Timothy were instructions to a young pastor who did not have the experience to deal with people who would challenge his authority. We are to be on the lookout for false teachers who would confuse and undermine the true message of the gospel. We are to be bold in our faith and stand firm against those who may try to intimidate us.

1 and 2 Corinthians: lessons about gifts, love, giving and false teachers

This month’s study is on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Paul wrote letters to the church in Corinth, a major cosmopolitan city, seaport and trade center of Achaia. The purpose of the first letter is to identify the problems in the Corinthian church, to offer solutions and to teach the believers how to live for Christ in a corrupt society. The second letter’s purpose is to affirm Paul’s ministry, defend his authority as an apostle and refute the false teachers in Corinth. I will discuss four points in these letters. Spiritual gifts, what are they and what purpose to they serve in the Body of Christ? What love is and isn’t. I will discuss what it means to generously give and what to look out for when dealing with false teachers.

First, spiritual gifts are often a controversial topic in churches even today because so many denominations define them differently. First, let’s look at what Paul says about the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. He tells us that each gift is given by the same Spirit (verse 4), the Spirit of God. It is also something he repeats several times. Each gift is given for the common good. There is the gift of wisdom, the gift of knowledge, the gift of faith, gift of healing, the gift of miraculous powers, the gift of prophesy, the gift of distinguishing between spirits, gift of tongues, the gift of interpreting tongues (verses 8-10). Each believer is given a gift which he is to use for the good of the Body of Christ (i.e. the church). The problem in the Corinthian church is they were treating some of the gifts as superior to others and thus elevating that person as better or higher than someone else simply because they have a certain gift. Paul says this is not right. Since all the gifts are given by the same Spirit, the gifts are equal. They may serve different purposes but each one is special and needed. Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 that each gift is given to certain believers to serve a function in the Body of Christ. “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (verse 27). Some are teachers, some are musicians to lead worship, some are missionaries, some are fundraisers, some are prayer warriors, the list can go on and on. No one is more important than the other just because they serve a different purpose. The individual who helps clean the church building is just as important as the pastor who teaches from the pulpit.

Second, Paul discusses what love is and isn’t and it is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Just 13 verses long, it speaks volumes about what true love looks like. People today are confused about what love truly is just as they were in the Corinthian church. In verses 1-3, Paul talks about how he could have all these wonderful gifts but without love, it is nothing. With all the spiritual gifts that people are given, if they do not use them with love, then the gifts are useless. Love is: patient and kind (verse 4), always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres (verse 7). Love is not envious, is not boastful, or proud (verse 4). It is not rude, self-seeking, or easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs (verse 5). “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth” (verse 6). Love is one of the greatest human qualities and it is one of God’s attributes (1 John 4:8). Love involves unselfish service to others. To show love gives evidence to others that you care. Unfortunately, many people today use love as a bargaining chip. “To do this for me and I will love you” but love should be given without conditions, without a price and without thought of what one gets in return. Yes, sometimes we all act without love. We are still human and sometimes other emotions get the best of us. When we are hurt and angry, we lash out without love. One of the most quoted verses is verse 13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Faith is the foundation and content of God’s message. Hope is the attitude and focus and love is the action. Without love, you cannot have faith or hope. If you need an example of love, look to Christ.

Third, in 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, Paul speaks about giving generously. However, this isn’t about the amount one gives but the attitude in which one gives. God doesn’t look at the person who gives $1,000 dollars and says “wow” and looks down at the person who only gave $100. He looks at the attitude and the spirit in which in was given. “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly, or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Generously giving isn’t just about money but our time as well. When one serves with their time in the church, he or she should do so cheerfully as God will increase that gift with rewards but when the spirit of service isn’t there, the rewards will be small. If you feel like you do not have the spirit of service, do not be afraid to say “no, I can’t right now.” Sometimes when the spirit of service is small, it could mean that you need to reenergize yourself. It’s okay to have “me time.” No one can give 100% of themselves, 100% of the time. And if you ask someone to service and they say no, do not think badly of them or think that they are backsliding in their faith, it may be because God is telling them to rest and when they are ready to serve again, they will. Give where and how you can give. If you can give money, then help provide the funds that the church can use to serve the people. If you can’t give money, but can give of your time, then serve in a ministry whether it be in the teaching a Sunday school class or rocking the babies to sleep in the nursery, so the parents can fellowship. This is just a few examples of how someone can generously give to the church.

Lastly, false apostles or false teachers was a big problem in the church of Corinth just as it is now. In 2 Corinthians 11:1-15, Paul speaks about false teachers. He warns the church to be mindful of what teachers are teaching. If they are teaching something other than what Christ taught be careful be to be led astray (verse 3-4). Paul says not to judge a teacher by how much money he demands to teach (verses 7-8). A great teacher isn’t determined by their fee. Paul says “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve” (verses 13-15). False teachers deceive others by appearing to be good and moral. Many unsuspecting believers have fallen into the trap of a smooth-talking, Bible quoting teacher, but we are warned to look beyond their outward appearances. To ask ourselves questions. For example, do the teachings confirm Scriptures as stated in Acts 17:11? Acts 17:11 states that the Berean church examined the Scriptures every day and very careful to see if what Paul said was true. If a pastor or teacher says something about God or Scripture, go into the Scriptures. Do not take the pastor’s word for it, simply because he is a pastor. Another question could be: Does the teacher affirm and proclaim that Jesus Christ is God who came into the world as a man to save people from their sins (1 John 4:1-3)? Is the teacher’s lifestyle consistent with Biblical morality (Matthew 12:33-37)? If the answer to these questions, or any questions you may have, gives you pause, then it is time to consider if this individual is a false teacher.

In conclusion, there are many lessons in the letters to the Corinthian church. First, we are all special and unique to God and we are all called to a special purpose within the church. Look to God and ask Him how you can use your gifts for his glory. Second, love is often misunderstood. Do not look to the world’s definition of love with all its conditions. Remember that love is the action in which faith and hope is built on. Third, attitude is more important when it comes to the giving of our time and money, much more important than the amount we give. Lastly, be very discerning with pastors and church leaders. Look to the Bible and use it to verify what is being taught.